18K Gold Heart Necklace

Rose Gold vs. Yellow Gold 

Gold, in its purest form, isn’t suitable for jewelry. It is too soft and too malleable, meaning that any jewelry made from purest gold will lose shape and wear out very quickly.

Yellow gold is commonly alloyed with copper, zinc or silver. This strengthens the gold, enhancing its durability. Yellow gold is found in varying alloys, with 10K, 12K, 14K and 18K the most common. The higher the karatage, the higher the amount of pure gold. So 18K yellow gold will be more golden in color, but less durable than a 12K piece.

Rose gold (also called red gold, pink gold and sometimes Russian gold which is now an obsolete term) is not found in nature. It is created by combining pure gold with copper and sometimes silver. A common ratio is 75% gold, 22.5% copper and a small proportion of silver to complete the alloy. The copper is what gives the pink tinge to the metal and the proportion of the copper used impacts the color of the metal.

As with yellow gold, the amount of pure gold is what gives it its value. It is commonly found in 12K, 14K and 18K in jewelry and comes in a variety of shades, from faint yellow-pink to dark rose.

Rose gold looks stunning on all skin types, from the palest to the darkest. It complements both warm and cool skin tones brings out the subtle blush of your skin.

Yellow gold, on the other hand, looks particularly beautiful against warm skin tones, especially tanned, olive or dark skin but can make some cool skin tones look washed out.

Yellow gold is undoubtedly the most popular metal color historically and was used over 2000 years ago in wedding rings. Even today, we still think of a traditional wedding ring as a simple yellow gold band.

Rose gold, on the other hand, is a relatively recent addition to the choice of metal colors. It was popular in the 1800s, when it was first created in Russia. It was also popular in the Mid-Victorian Era but reached its peak during the 1920s. Towards the later half of the 20th century, especially the 90s, both rose gold and yellow was considered old fashioned and fell out of favor, as white metals took prominence.

However, today yellow gold is back in fashion as a classic metal and evokes a vintage vibe, which is highly in vogue at the moment. Rose gold is also extremely popular today, as it brings femininity and color to the fore. It is the perfect balance between a traditional and modern look. Both rose gold and yellow gold are timeless and classic colors, so any jewelry of these metals will always be relevant.